


Merlin's Vacation

by Impala_Cherry_Trickster



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Camelot, Canon Era, Chaos, Chickens, Crack, Drunkenness, Gaius is So Done (Merlin), Gen, Good Morgana (Merlin), Gwaine Being Gwaine (Merlin), Merlin is So Done (Merlin), Minor Gwen/Morgana (Merlin)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2020-07-21
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:13:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25398964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Impala_Cherry_Trickster/pseuds/Impala_Cherry_Trickster
Summary: Merlin's been gone for forty-one days on his Vacation, and Camelot is in chaos.
Relationships: Elyan/Percival (Merlin), Gwaine & Merlin (Merlin), Gwen/Morgana (Merlin), Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 40
Kudos: 356





	1. Chaotic

‘ENOUGH!’ The King roared, and those around him fell silent. The Throne Room was a mess, the Round Table upturned, and Gaius slowly rose an eyebrow at the King’s outburst.

‘Merlin has been gone forty-one days, and we descend to chaos?’ He questioned his people, but the answer was obvious. Forty-one days of Merlin taking a vacation around Albion to learn of his powers, and Camelot had become nothing more than a practical joke. The King straightened his spine, looked to the sheepish group of people in front.

‘Merlin returns tomorrow. And look at us!’ Morgana snorted with laughter, Gwen looked ashamed, and the Knights that remained looked amused.

The King approached Gwaine first, for he was the easiest to scold.

‘You’ve been arrested eight different times! Eighteen nights in a Cell, with thirty-one complaints about your behaviour!’ The Knight looked nothing other than smug, proud of his achievements. He smelt distinctly of the King’s own wine, cheeks flushed and his eyes slightly wide. Arthur concluded he was still drunk. Beside him, Morgana stuck her tongue out like a child, so Arthur rounded on her next.

‘Don’t get me started! Besides seducing my wife, flirting with all the younger Knights and accidentally turning everything in my wardrobe to the brightest shade of pink (He had a feeling that it was not an accident), you’ve turned Leon into a toad!’ A croak from the side, where the First Knight of Camelot was seated in the little box Gwen had made him.

Gods, Arthur hoped it was Leon.

‘It was aimed at Gwaine, in my defence.’ Morgana provided helpfully, earning yet another croak from the toad to the side. Gwen tutted, patted the slimy skin of his back, and so Arthur moved to her.

‘Guinevere, as much as I adore you, even you have let the chaos rain down! Changing the locks on all the doors to the Knights’ Chambers, going to the Tavern and betting against drunkards,’ Gwaine cheered at that, ‘and then falling into our bed with Morgana!’ He had no issues with his wife sleeping with his sister, apart from the fact she happened to be doing it in their bed.

Gwen, at least, bowed her head slightly, cheeks darkening.

‘Elyan, Percival. Don’t think I haven’t seen the three of you sneaking into the kitchens, or seducing the maids when they should be working. And admitting in front of the Council that the two of you are… courting, was probably not the wisest idea!’ They looked a little ashamed, although stuck close to each other, as he had expected. He was happy for the two of them, but announcing it by sticking their tongues down each other’s throats while he was trying to sort out the taxes for this year… not helpful.

‘Lancelot.’ He finally turned to the most noble of his Knights, eyed him up slowly. First, the green hair, then the fact that he was currently covered in chicken feathers, and the King gave in.

He sighed, pinched the bridge of his nose, then looked briefly to Gaius.

‘In all respect, Sire, you’ve not exactly been on your best behaviour either.’

In his defence, lunacy was catchy. He’d had one too many drunken nights, danced with different flowerpots that Morgana kept putting around the Castle just to watch him flirt with them, being late to training consistently, and accidentally sending George to the stocks just because it had been a habit with Merlin.

‘Percival, take Gwaine down to one of the cells to sober up. Guinevere, Morgana, take Lancelot to my Chambers and sort out his hair, and get rid of the damned feathers. Gaius, if you wouldn’t mind taking Sir Leon and returning him to a tank until Merlin’s return, that would be appreciated. Elyan, catch the chickens that Lancelot released in the Courtyard.’ His orders given, the King took a deep breath, looked around the room with what he hoped was a threatening look.

‘And for Gods sake, none of you are to tell Merlin how quickly we ended up in chaos.’

**

After his walk around the Castle grounds to clear his head, Arthur decided it was time to check up on each of his problems. His first stop was the stocks, wincing as a particularly offensive looking cabbage was hurled in George’s direction, the man’s neckerchief catching most of the vegetable. He held a hand up, explained that there was no need to continue, that he had suffered enough.

‘George, go and get cleaned up. And for all our sakes, no more brass jokes.’ The servant was ever-obedient, nodded so firmly that a piece of cabbage ended up on Arthur’s shoe, which the King responded to by sighing.

With George out of the stocks, his next stop was the Courtyard. The chickens were back in the pen, the lock that he suspected Gwaine had broken replaced with a strip of fabric tying the crate shut. The hundreds of feathers had been swept away, and that was a good sign.

He knocked on Gaius’ door, found the Physician at his bench grinding something up that smelled foul. The man rose an eyebrow as Arthur looked around the room, halting when he saw the tank that Leon was seated in. It had a couple of leaves, some water that he presumed was to keep his skin moisturised.

‘Ah, Sir Leon, good.’ He then promptly turned around, shut the door firmly and headed to the Cells.

Gwaine was slumped in the back, snoring loudly with a sack to cover him. Hair stuck to his face, clothes a mess, but he could deal with that in the morning.

Sir Lancelot was back in his own room, hair back to being dark brown and perfectly brushed. The feathers had also disappeared, which was convenient, and the Knight bowed his head in an apology.

Everything was perfect, and Merlin would never suspect anything.

**

Morning came, and from the moment he rose his head, Arthur knew that his problems had only just begun. Not only was his wardrobe still pink, which he found out while searching for a shirt, but his wife was conveniently missing. He suspected her to be back in Morgana’s bed, so he sent Sefa to fetch the both of them and bring them to the throne room.

He then went to find Percival, only to find the Knight was in Lancelot’s Chambers, along with Elyan.

A bald Lancelot. Who was also panicking, staring at the hair that remained on the pillow.

He would have laughed, had it not been so terribly awful, and so Arthur dragged the Knight by his shirt towards the throne room, Elyan and Percival trotting behind like they had not been aiding the chaos.

When he reached the room, Morgana was there. Staring at Sir Leon, who was still in his tank. Gwen was also in the room, sitting on the steps by the throne, because somebody was in his chair.

Sir Gwaine grinned lazily, soaked to the bone in the bucket of water that Arthur had ordered he be washed down with, a wineskin in hand. Dripping all over the floor, hair a mess, and his legs hooked up over the arm of the chair.

‘Lancelot, you appear to be bald.’ Morgana commented, which earned him a glare from the Knight, and Gwaine’s laughter.

‘I’ve got the best hair here!’ He cheerfully remarked, and Arthur looked between the group.

‘Merlin is arriving TODAY and all of you are not helping!’ He screeched, which just made the entire group look amused.

‘Says the man in a pink shirt.’ Gwen muttered, and he spun to her, ready to demand her assistance, but the door opened, revealing George.

‘Sire, there appears to be a collection of chickens currently loose in the Castle.’

No. Oh Gods, no.

‘Arthur.’ Morgana started, but he held his hand up. Looking at George, who was still standing in the open doorway, he tried his best for a Kingly look.

‘Please try and collect the chickens.’

‘Arthur…’

‘What, Morgana?!’ The Witch paused, then peered down to Leon.

‘That’s not Sir Leon.’

Just as the entire room fell silent at that revelation, George opened the door wider, a second person entering the room.

‘Merlin!’ Gwaine cheerfully exclaimed, before his eyes widened. Arthur was pretty sure he was copying the expression, because Merlin…

‘You’ve got hot!’ Gwaine stated, and in all fairness, Arthur had to agree.

‘What in all of Albion happened in here?’


	2. Nothing Like Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin's just.... dying of laughter

Merlin watched the King splutter, then a defensive look crossed his face.

‘It wasn’t my fault!’ He sounded like a petulant child, enough so that Merlin started to laugh. The group looked ridiculous, and he couldn’t help it anymore, clutched at his side as he wheezed out more laughter. The frown on Arthur’s face grew, whereas the others began to smile, evidently finding it just as amusing as he was. A bunch of grown adults, descending into a complete mess after he’d been away for just over a month.

He’d walked through the Castle, found several of Camelot’s Guards trying to catch a collection of chickens that were running rampage, and it turned out that the throne room was no different. Chaotic, from the colour of Arthur’s shirt to the fact Lancelot had no hair.

‘Please… Oh Gods, please try and explain.’ Merlin managed to get out, before placing a hand to his side and standing back upright. He already had a stitch, and they hadn't even started to explain what had happened.

The story was just as hilarious as Merlin had hoped. From Gwaine’s many arrests, to Lancelot’s new hair colour and the chicken incident. Morgana looked proud of her enchantments, then gestured to the toad that definitely wasn’t Leon, and Merlin couldn’t help it anymore. He was practically crying, swiping at his eyes furiously as Arthur shouted his way through the end of the story.

‘I’m,’ Wheezing, ‘Sorry, I can’t take you seriously in… that.’ He gestured to the King’s shirt, Arthur’s frown turning to a desperate look.

‘Merlin, _please_ , help.’ It was the please that got him, Merlin swallowed down his laughter and moved across to the King first. A quick tap to the shirt, removing the dye that had stained it, before looking to the others.

Lancelot was first, he didn’t even need to focus to remove whatever had happened, to repair the beautiful hair that had been damaged. He briefly looked to the toad that wasn’t Leon, then turned his attention to Gwaine.

‘If that isn’t Leon…’ Arthur began, but Merlin just chuckled. He reached for the satchel he had taken on his trip, lifted the flap and reached in for the toad he had found sitting on the steps to the Castle, like it had been waiting for him. The moment Merlin saw the creature, he’d sensed the Magic around him.

He just hadn't realised he was the First Knight of Camelot.

‘How long has this one not been Leon?’ Gwen asked, prodding the toad in his tank. Merlin struggled to keep a straight face, especially when he broke the enchantment around Leon, watched the Knight appear in a quick flash of Magic. Leon stumbled slightly, only righted by Elyan and Percival, who grinned at him.

‘What about him?’ Arthur asked, looking to Gwaine, and Merlin sighed when the Knight started to sing. Off-tune, as well.

‘I can’t cure a drunken mess.’ Gwaine looked offended, so Merlin moved to the steps and let his Magic do what it could. Clean clothes, his perfect hair returned to normal, the stink of alcohol gone. The wineskin he had been holding was replaced with water, and Merlin alleviated what he could from the drunkenness in his stomach.

‘Ohh, that felt all warm and fuzzy.’ Gwaine winked at him, and Merlin looked between the group.

‘Is now the time to bring up the fact that you’re looking rather handsome?’ Morgana questioned, cocking her head to the side to study him. He blushed, ducked his head and then realised there wasn’t any way he could hide, not with them all in the room.

His hair might have been a little longer. And he’d been doing a lot of training with the Druids from the North, filling out a little with the food they’d provided. Plus, with his continued time in the sun, his skin had tanned slightly. Nicer clothes, as well.

‘I… er…’

‘Camelot descends to chaos, and Merlin turns into a looker.’ Gwaine agreed with Morgana, the two of them definitely not needing to be in the same room. In fact, they should probably be a Kingdom apart, just for good measure.

‘Well I think it suits you!’ Gwen chimed in, a couple of nods from the Knights, while Arthur just remained in a state of frowning. If the wind changed, Arthur’s face would be stuck like that, and no amount of convincing would get Merlin to change that fact.

‘Stop flirting with Merlin. You two are already in enough… flirtatious situations.’ The King stated, staring between Gwen and Morgana, the Witch rolling her eyes.

‘Merlin, you should know that Arthur put George in the stocks. And threatened to take one of the flower vases to bed with him.’ That was all it took for him to be laughing again, unable to help it as the King tried to defend himself, and the noise rose back up as they spoke over each other. Squabbling like children, gesticulations exchanged between the Pendragon siblings that would not be accepted in polite company.

Gwaine left Arthur’s throne in favour of coming to his side, nudging his shoulder and grinning.

‘Did ya’ miss us, Merls?’ He looked from his drunken friend, to the others.

Arthur, berating his sister for all her spells. Morgana, shouting back in his face that he couldn’t control her, and it a perfectly good use of her Magical talents. Leon, vaguely trying to explain that he had almost been trodden on at least eight times. Elyan and Percival helpfully stating that they would no longer be so obvious with their courting, as long as they didn’t have to turn up early to training. Lancelot, too busy running his hands through his hair to bother with the group. And Gwen, with the not-Leon toad on her lap, looking between them with amusement.

‘Yep.’ He answered simply, let Gwaine’s fingers run through his longer hair.

‘Nothing quite like home.’


End file.
